USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Antrim > History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its earliest settlement to June 27, 1877, with a brief genealogical record of all the Antrim families > Part 26
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1777, May 1. "The Road from the Bridge on Contocook River To John Warrins Sawmill & from thence To Hillsborough Line by the Way of Leut. McClearys." This first road com- menced at the Baldwin bridge, passing up by McFarland's (N. W. C. Jameson's ), thence by John M. Duncan's to the old Cen- ter on Meeting-House Hill, on the line of what is now called the " old road," -i. e., past Bill Butterfield's. From the old Center it was in nearly a straight course to Branch Village, thence over English or Tuttle hill as now the old highway is built to Hills- borough. In South Village this road was in a straight line from Jameson's to Goodell's, and consequently was a few rods east of the present street. It was on this road, at its junction with that from Miller's to Kelsea's, that the old school-house was built and burned. But in 1801, this road, at the request of Hon. John
i
227
LAYING OUT THE FIRST ROAD.
Duncan, perhaps to bring it near his cousin James, was made to run straight to James Duncan's, -i. e., Saltmarsh place. The fork of the roads was at the Elijah Kimball place, long before there was any house there ; and the track of the old road from Elijah Kimball's to John M. Duncan's may still be followed.
The first road, voted May 1, was formally laid out Sept. 3, fol- lowing. It seems that the first path from South Village to the Branch was east of the summit of Meeting-House Hill, cross- ing the northeast side of the hill, and striking near Richard McAllister's house, coming out the same as the subsequent road. Reference is made to this old road in laying out the new one. It was probably on the east side of this "old road " or path, called " old " in 1777, that the children were buried, and they thought the " Center would fall "; i. e., on the extreme west of the Whitney farm. The first road was laid out "To be four Roads Wide it Being the Leading Road of the Town."
The same year they laid out the road from South Village to Hancock line. It lay south of the present road, by William Smith's to Alexander Jameson's (now the residence of G. H. Cleaves), and thence as now traveled.
Likewise a road from Randall Alexander's (A. A. Miller's) to the main road. This has not been changed to the present day.
Likewise a road from the Saltmarsh place (James Duncan's) to D. H. Goodell's (Joseph Boyd's).
" And another Road from Warrins Sawmill as it is Now Used To Maurice Lynches or as Near it as the Ground Will Admitt of Good passing and it to be Three Road Wide." This is that now traveled from the Branch to William Stacey's.
1779. No roads were laid out in 1778. At the March meet- ing, 1779, the north stream is first called the " Branch," and Richard McAllister and Thomas Stuart were chosen a committee to " finish the Bridge " over it. March 9, 1779, the town " Voted that Robt. Burns & adm Nichols Shall Each of them have a Road Where they Required it." The first of these was no doubt that which now exists from the old Burns place past Reed Carr's and the cemetery to the " leading road." The second appears by the next action of the town thus : " Voted that the Road be Recorded from Adam Nichols place [McCoy's - north John Dun- can's - buildings gone] by miss Dickeys [now S. M. Thompson's ] and Joseph Boyd's [Goodell's ] And Daniel Miltimors [White- ley's ] To the Center." This was not all built at once, as parts of
228
ROADS TO WINDSOR.
it we find laid out a second time - a circumstance that careful eyes will find repeated below. 1
This year, also, the road was laid out from William Stacey's to Windsor - over the mountain.
Likewise, July 2, 1779, as follows : “ Beginning at John Nich- ols Choping [N. C. Ferry's] Thence Runing North Where the Road is opened to Adam Nichols Improvements [McCoy's on the hill] thence by markt trees to Realys Sugar Camp Thence North by markt trees Passing Betwixt Major Realys fell wood [Gibson place] and John McCoyses [Elijah Goold's old place] to Hillsborough line." This was the old first road to Hillsborough, was close under Riley's mountain, and is now mostly thrown up.
1780. Road from South Village to the Zadok Dodge place, then settled by James Dinsmore.
Likewise the old road from the old Center by Green's, Law- rence's, Reed Carr's, and Dinsmore's to Stoddard.
Likewise from Saltmarsh place by Goodell's and Whiteley's to the Center.
Also from a point half-way between Whitney's and Goodell's to George A. Cochran's, - which, however, seems not to have been built on that ground, but farther north, making the road about where now traveled from Whitney's to Cochran's.
1781. "Voted that there be a road laid out from James Dinsmores [Zadok Dodge place] by Mr. McDoal [Foster place] to Sam1 Patten's house." This house was on top of Patten's Hill, and the road to it was open many years. It went up nearly straight west from Dea. Boyd's.
Likewise, Sept. 1, 1781, from Eben Bass's to Samuel Patten's on the top of the Patten Hill. It was laid out by marked trees, and there was neither dwelling nor clearing between these two points.
1782. The road by Daniel Swett's to Windsor. It was described thus : " Beginning at James Nesmiths Hous [Wm. M. Conn's] Running Westerly By markt Trees and Where it is partly Cleared to Stephen Curtices Barn then Running through Sª Curtices Land and Lem1 Curtices Land to his house."
1783. From William M. Conn's over the mountain to Wind- sor. This was June 14.
Also, same date, a road from Elias Cheney's (Dimon Dodge place), on the line between him and Joseph Clark, to strike the previous . Hillsborough road near the Gibson or Danforth place. This was very nearly on line of present turnpike in Antrim.
229
VARIOUS ROADS.
Also, from Miles Tuttle's up by Kidder's and James Wood's to the corner now marked by the school-house in that district, July 9, 1783. The town had voted to extend this road from this corner to Franklin Perry's, but it was only laid out to the school-house.
The town also voted, at its Marchi meeting, a road from Daniel Nichols's (Turner's), by Cooledge place, and down the sand-hill and past Robert McIlvaine's, to old Center.
1784. A road was laid out from Reuben Boutwell's house, standing a little southeast of Daniel Simonds's, to the Stoddard road near Samuel Dinsmore's.
Also, from Samuel Patten's house to Hancock line. Thus for some years the main road to Hancock was over the top of Patten Hill.
1786. A road from the town line on the Hiram Eaton farm " northwardly " till it should strike the road from Patten Hill to the meeting-house.
1787. From Hiram Combs's past Cooledge place and school- house, down sand-hill to Robert McIlvaine's, and thence to meet- ing-house. This had been voted before.
Also, from the house of Ira Holmes to Windsor line.
1788. From D. H. Goodell's eastward to Raymond place at the corner.
Also, from South Village by Thomas Flint's, Munhall's, and Greeley's, and thence over the hill south of the pond, past the old Vose place to the place now occupied by Hugh Rogers, - long Rodney Sawyer's.
1791. A road from John Duncan's to the Dea. Woods place, thence by Levi Curtis's and Henry Barker's to the old Center. This was voted March 22, 1791, but not formally laid out till June 3, 1792.
1792. From Miles Tuttle's to Hillsborough line.
Also, from Thomas Day's house to the Stoddard road near Samuel Dinsmore's. This was discontinued long since.
1793, Jan. 19. From Raymond Corner past the Dea. Jona- than Nesmith place to " a balm tree which Stands a little South of Nathan Coles house," - i. e., to Whitney place.
1794, Sept. 12. From the old meeting-house past the pound and thence westward over Holt's Hill, and then nearly as now traveled, round north and west of the pond, till it intersected with the road south of the pond at the corner near the Capt. John Worthley place.
230
STATE ROAD.
1795. From George F. Parmenter's westward past Chandler Butterfield's to Gregg's mills, then standing at the upper end of the pond. This road was discontinued about 1873.
Also, from Elijah Holt's (near the river in the east part of the town) westward to S. M. Thompson's. Discontinued half a century ago.
Also, from Thomas Jameson's to David Parker's, - a short piece, long since thrown up.
1796, Dec. 10. From Jackson Boutelle's over the hill south to the William N. Tuttle farm. This road, perhaps on better ground, was laid out again Aug. 21, 1798.
1797. The road from Hancock to Stoddard across the south- west corner of this town. Jonathan Nesmith was agent to build. This has always been an expensive and troublesome road, and of no use to the town. Referred to elsewhere.
1798. From the William N. Tuttle farm southward past Amos Dodge's to the Caleb Clark place, now Mr. Lovewell's.
1799, November. Town gave permission to build a turnpike through Antrim. This was soon after built. Facts about it are given in the narrative elsewhere.
This year the records first have mention of the " State Road so called," about which there was a great talk, for and against, for many years. This road was never built. It was laid out by a court's committee. Can't see why it was called a state road. It was surveyed from Stoddard to Francestown. Its line began at South Stoddard. passed over the mountain north of George Brown's, thence near Lovewell's, round the north side of Holt's Hill, past Lily pond, down the lower side of the Center grave- yard, down the Parmenter brook to near Chauncey White's, thence in about a straight line to Arthur Miller's, crossing the river near his house. A very good road might have been made on this ground, but it would have been expensive to build, . and of no great public importance.
1801, Jan. 20. A road was laid out from the Tenney farm, then Enoch Sawyer's, southeastward to this state road.
1801, June 20. A road " Running from the foot of the hill west of the meeting-house southeastwardly till it strikes the leading road." This is the road now traveled from the pound to the town-house. This, it seems, was not built, and was laid out again in 1807, and made that year.
1802. Road commencing near Conn's corner on Stoddard
231
VARIOUS ROADS.
road, and running southeastwardly over the north side of Tuttle Mountain to the William N. Tuttle place. This was never more than a path, and has been discontinued near half a century.
In the two following years several short roads were laid out, all of them unimportant, and some of them hard to locate. A road was laid out from Daniel McIlvaine's to Mr. Whiteley's in 1804. One of these was to be a " Bridle Road" several years, after which the town was to build it.
1806, May 10. Road from George Turner's to the river, was laid out. It was to commence " near Daniel Nichol's Cyder Mill," and run eastward to the Dimon Dodge place, - " thence on river bank to Turnpike Bridge." In the following year, a road was laid out from the north end of the pond to the Artemas Brown place. Also, same year, road was straightened across the meadow from Mr. Kelsea's to John M. Duncan's. In 1808, the town voted to lay out a road from Luther Campbell's to Steel's mills on the Hillsborough road (Estey's). This would have made a level and convenient road. It was voted a second time, a year or two later, but was greatly opposed, and was never built.
1813. Road from Steel place west of pond to Lieut. James Nesmith's - long since discontinued.
Also, 1816, from Lovewell's to the Artemas Brown road.
1817, Nov. 4. From George F. Parmenter's, eastward to the old road to the Center.
1820, March 14. The town voted to lay out a road from near the pound to Luther Campbell's. This was the road now traveled to the Branch, and is mentioned in the town narrative. It was a hard road to build, and was not finished at once.
1827. Road from Daniel McIlvaine's to Fred Gove's, laid out in 1804, seems to have been built this year.
1831. From Stoddard line to Hillsborough, as now traveled, was laid out by " Court's Committee," was stoutly opposed by the town, but finally built. Referred to elsewhere.
1835. From Clinton to Mr. French's (Dea. Worthley place). This road was laid out through a dense forest. The building of it was somewhat delayed. Same year a road was laid out from Gregg's mills to strike the other near the north end of the pond. The following year, a road was laid out from William M. Conn's to Reed Carr's.
1842. From Luther Campbell's to Keene road. This was
232
ROADS AND BRIDGES AT PRESENT TIME.
opposed and put off. Finally was laid out 'by county commis- sioners in 1844, and soon after was built.
1846. From Clinton to Charles F. Holt's. Laid out in 1845 ; again the following year ; built 1846. This was continued from Holt's mill up to the pond in 1854.
It may be added that many pieces of road have been discon- tinued which are not so given above, - especially in west part of the town. That part of the " leading road " from the old grave- yard to Luther Campbell's was discontinued in 1872. The roads of Antrim will compare favorably with those of any New Hamp- shire town.
For twenty-five years subsequent to incorporation, these roads were little more than clearings through the forests, and no attempt was made to evade hills. But for the past seventy-five years great effort has been made to improve our roads. The labors of generations have made them what they are ; and those in the hardest localities have been made excellent. Few towns have done so much for accommodating people not their own, as ours. The road across the southwest corner, that from South Village to the turnpike bridge, the turnpike, and the Keene road, were none of them made for ourselves, though some of these are now of great value to the town. We have about eight- een wooden bridges to support; Branch river being bridged seven times, Clinton or Great brook seven times, besides Carr brook once, Cochran brook once, and the dry bridges and half- bridges along the Contoocook.
233
OLD CEMETERY.
CHAPTER X.
CEMETERIES.
THE first burial of a white person in Antrim was that of a child in February, 1768, on the spot now occupied by the Levi Woodbury house. In 1772, Dea. Aiken lost a second child, and he buried it on the Whitney farm, near its northwest corner. To this spot he removed the body of the child that died in 1768. Sev- eral other children were buried at this place. But it was in the woods, and the graves were not marked. As they supposed the Center of the town would be at this point, they expected in the near future properly to mark and honor the ground. But when the Center was fixed on the hill, these little graves had to be left. Some of the bodies were removed to the hill. Three or four years later the land was cleared and burned ; and it was soon impossible to identify the spot. That first burial-place is known only to God. They are little graves, but they are not forgotten of Him.
The burial-place on the hill was fixed upon by the town in public meeting, Aug. 20, 1777, it having been previously laid out by the surveyor, and so far informally decided upon as to be then referred to as " the Buriing Place." A little of it, nearest the " spoot " fixed to build the meeting-house on, was cleared at once. The rest of it was gradually chopped down and the tim- ber left to dry. It was burned over in 1781. The brands and blackened logs were piled and burned in 1782, and the land sowed with rye, of which there was a great crop the following year.
The old cemetery was at first surrounded by a log fence ; but a good stone wall, standing to this day, took the place of the log fence in 1794. But the care of the town for this spot was so great that they voted again, as soon as 1802, to repair the grave- yard fence. The enclosed portion rapidly filled up; and an addi- tion of about half its size was made on the west, in 1818. In 1838 the town instructed the selectmen to make such repairs as were needed " at the old graveyard." This was done from time to time, so that the ground was kept in a fair condition. In the fall of 1872, there was a voluntary turn-out of citizens to work
234
BURIALS IN OLD CEMETERY.
in righting the slanted monuments and " bowing wall "; and a vigorous and willing day's work was done. A new gate was also provided. Thus the town, and especially the fathers, manifested a great interest in that place of the dead. In my judgment it is by far the most sacred spot within our borders ; and I venture the hope, that, after we are gone, children and children's children will keep it in good condition, and guard its monuments with deathless care.
It is impossible now to tell who was first buried on the hill. After the ground was set apart and one corner made clean, in 1777, it is certain no burials took place elsewhere in town for fifty years. Probably a child or two were buried there as early as 1778. The oldest monument is dated a little later. Only a very small part of those buried there have any mark at their graves. The ground was full in 1818, and about one hundred and thirty were subsequently buried in the addition of that year. Mr. Whiton says " the dust of about six hundred sleeps in the old burying-yard," which seems to me at least one hundred too low. He says four hundred were buried there during his minis- try (Half-century Sermon, page 8), of which no doubt he had a record, - the deaths during his ministry averaging eighteen per year. For the eight years preceding his settlement, including the dysentery year, 1800, the average of deaths must have been twenty annually. This would make five hundred and sixty burials there in the present century. If, now, we suppose the bodies moved there to be six, and the average of deaths from 1778 to 1800 to be six yearly, the whole would be just seven hundred. A look at the table of populations strongly confirms this reasoning, especially when we remember the fatality among children. Probably in those days when the town had no minis- ter to keep a record, many were buried there not numbered in Mr. Whiton's account. Many are the children not accounted for, unless they were laid there in this way.
In the old days the town provided a heavy, large black cloth to throw over the coffin, - this last being generally a very cheap and unsightly box. This pall was called " The mort-cloth," and sometimes the " Palm-cloth," by the Scotch. I found in the first Londonderry record-book this item: "Voted that Moses Barnet hoop the Pam-Cloth, & Impowered to Let it out in the town for five Shillings for Each funeral that Imploys it." They also voted to buy a " Mor-Cloth that will be small for young
235
CENTER, EAST, AND NORTH BRANCH CEMETERIES.
children." I remember seeing one of these great, dark, fright- ful coverings of the coffin, with fringe all around it, a most dead and mournful black ! The more modern pall of fringed velvet is less repulsive. Rarely, however, is anything of the kind to be seen, or used, at the present day.
The next cemetery in town, begun in 1826, was that now known as the " Center Yard." It was started by Dr. Whiton, but the most active man in organizing the work and putting the ground in order was James Cochran, father of Ira. A great amount of labor was spent upon it, the earth on the ridge being scraped down several feet against a huge bank wall erected for the purpose. This ground is now nearly full. Here Dr. Whiton expressed a wish to be laid when his work was done, and here, under the morning shadow of his church, they buried him. This sunny and quiet yard is neatly kept, but will soon be, like the former, a thing of the past.
The East yard was commenced in October, 1827, by the soci- ety then existing there. The first burial was that of Aura Ann Tennant, Oct. 10, 1829. This yard also is now nearly full, and but little used. It was located nearly opposite the East church. Comely for situation, accessible, and orderly, it was the chosen ground for that part of the town, as well as for many families in Bennington and Deering. This yard was some time in prepara- tion, and several bodies were buried in fields and gardens, tem- porarily, and then removed to it.
" The Cemetery on the Plain," in the north part of the town, was begun soon after that at the Center, and in the same year, 1826. It constituted then about half of the present yard, that on the west being purchased and added about the time of the incorporation. " The Antrim North Branch Cemetery Associa- tion " was incorporated in 1864, the right being granted to "Syl- vester Preston, Daniel Simonds, Samuel Dinsmore, and other owners of lots." The first burial was that of Benjamin Simonds, Sen., who died in 1826.
The present officers of the association are : President, Henry B. Swett; secretary, George P. Little ; treasurer, Luther M. Wilkins; directors, William R. Carr, William M. Conn, Edmond Sawyer.
About 1829, the town voted " a Saxon for each yard"; and for half a century three sextons were annually appointed by the town for these three yards.
236
MAPLEWOOD CEMETERY. 1
Maplewood Cemetery was prepared for use in the year 1861. The land had been for years a dry, poor sheep-pasture. One day, J. W. Christie, riding along with his son, Dr. Morris Chris- tie, thought of the convenience and fitness of the place for a burial-ground. They two got out and looked it over; then went up and consulted with Mark and Levi Woodbury. The next step was that the two last named bought the land. Then, as soon as possible, they fitted it up nearly in its present shape, and sold the lots for remuneration. It was opened with the year 1862. It has been spoken of as remarkable that Mr. Christie was almost the first to be laid there (April 10, 1862). The first burial there was that of Charles McKeen, who died March 24, 1862. The number buried in this cemetery (Jan. 1, 1877) is one hundred and twenty-seven, and the number removed there from several other places eighty-one, making two hundred and eight in all.
Few country burial-places are more attractive than this. It will be still more beautiful in the future, when the long rows of trees reach maturity. Many substantial and comely. monuments adorn the ground. The fountain was put in (1877) at a cost of" about four hundred dollars. It was by the work and solicitation of Mrs. Anna Woodbury, who also paid more than half of all the expense. The principal other donors were D. H. Goodell and Morris Christie.
There is only one private burial-place in Antrim, that of the elder Whittemore family, lying on the Hillsborough line, in the extreme northeast part of the town. It should be added that west of the mountains, from forty to seventy years ago, many bodies were taken from Antrim to South Stoddard and Hancock, for burial.
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237
TOWN OFFICERS.
CHAPTER XI.
LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS FROM THE YEAR 1777 TO THE YEAR 1879, INCLUSIVE, AS COPIED FROM THE TOWN RECORDS.
Date. Moderator and Town Clerk.
Selectmen.
Representative.
1777. Moderator not named. Maurice Lynch, Clerk.
Thomas Stuart. James Aiken. Richard McAllister.
Henniker, Hillsbor- ough, Deering, An- trim, and Society Land were repre- sented in several sessions at Exeter by Capt. Joseph Sy- monds, and same also, 1776.
1778. Daniel Nichols, Mod. John Duncan, Clerk.
Thomas Stuart. Daniel Miltimore. Daniel Nichols.
District as above, rep- resented by Isaac Andrews. Met at Exeter, Dec. 16, 1778.
1779. Samuel Moore, Mod. Samuel Moore, Clerk.
John Duncan. Samuel Moore. Adam Nichols.
This year Capt. Jas. McCalley was cho- sen for the district. Met at Exeter, Dec. 16, 1779.
1780. John Duncan, Mod. Daniel Miltimore, Clk.
Daniel Nichols. Benjamin Gregg. Thomas Stuart.
Henniker, Hillsbor- ough, Deering, An- trim, Hancock, and Society Land, - by. Capt. James Mc- Calley, of Hillsbor- ough.
1781. John Duncan, Mod. Daniel Miltimore, Clk.
Samuel Moore. Daniel McFarland. John Duncan.
District represented by Capt. Robert Al- cock, of Deering.
1782. John Duncan, Mod. Samuel Moore, Clerk.
Thomas Stuart. Samuel Moore. John Duncan.
Henniker, Hillsbor- ough, Deering, An- trim, Hancock, and Society Land, rep- resented by Capt. Joseph Symonds.
1783. Benjamin Gregg, Mod. James Dinsmore. Samuel Moore, Clerk. Thomas Stuart. Daniel Nichols.
John Duncan repre- sented district of - Antrim, Deering, Hancock, and Soci- ety Land.
1784. John Duncan, Mod. Samuel Moore, Clerk.
Samuel Moore. Samuel Patten. Richard Mc Allister.
John Duncan for An- trim, Deering, and Hancock, and So- ciety Land.
238
TOWN OFFICERS.
Date. Moderator and Town Clerk.
Selectmen.
Representative.
1785. Isaac Cochran, Mod. Samuel Moore, Clerk.
Isaac Cochran. Jonathan Nesmith. Samuel Moore.
Probably John Dun- can.
1786. Isaac Cochran, Mod. Daniel Miltimore, Clk.
Jonathan Nesmith. Daniel Nichols.
can.
1787. Thomas Nichols, Mod. Isaac Cochran. John Duncan for An-
Daniel Miltimore, Clk.
Jonathan Nesmith. Thomas Stuart. towns.
trim and other
1788. John Duncan, Mod. Tobias Butler, Clerk.
Thomas Stuart. Probably John Dun- can.
Samuel Dinsmore. David McClure.
John Duncan, for
1789. Daniel Miltimore, Mod. Thomas Stuart. Daniel Miltimore, Clk. Samuel Dinsmore. James Hopkins.
Deering, Antrim, and Hancock. Met' at Seth . Hadley's, Hancock, to elect.
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